Niels Larsen Bruun

Niels Larsen Bruun
Niels Larsen Bruun
Other name(s)	Nils Larsen Bruun
Born	10 July 1893; Frederikshald, Norway
Died	11 July 1970 (aged 77); Oslo, Norway
Buried	Vestre gravlund, Oslo
Allegiance	Norway
Service / branch	Royal Norwegian Navy
Years of service	1915–1957
Rank	Rear admiral (acting)
Unit	HNoMS Viking (1915–1916); HNoMS Sleipner (1931); HNoMS Heimdal (1931); Royal Norwegian Navy High Command (1946–1949);
Commands	HNoMS Stegg (1932); HNoMS Æger (1939–1940); 1st Destroyer Division (1939–1940); Royal Norwegian Navy training unit at Port Edgar, Scotland (1941–1942); Sjømilitære korps [no] (1942–1946); Royal Norwegian Naval Academy (1943–1946); Naval District Ålesund (1945–1946); Naval Command Southern Norway (1948–1949); Naval Command Northern Norway (1949–1957);
Battles / wars	Second World War German invasion of Norway;
Awards	Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal; Defence Medal 1940–1945; St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch;
Spouse(s)	Ingrid Sakkestad (m. 1920⁠–⁠1970) (his death)

Niels Larsen Bruun (10 July 1893 – 11 July 1970) was a Norwegian officer who served in the Royal Norwegian Navy for more than four decades. Bruun took part in neutrality protection duties during the First World War, seeing service on several naval vessels and assuming his first command. He continued his service in the inter-war years, teaching at naval schools in addition to shipboard service.

At the outbreak of the Second World War Bruun again served on neutrality protection duties, commanding the destroyer Æger. During the first day of the German invasion of Norway, Æger intercepted a German supply ship, which Bruun ordered sunk before he knew for certain if Norway was under attack by the Germans or the Allies. Bruun's own ship was sunk by German bombers the same day, with the surviving crew members dispersing two days later with instructions from Bruun to try to continue to fight.

Bruun escaped German-occupied Norway in 1941, travelling east through Sweden, the Soviet Union, India, and the United States to join the exiled Norwegian forces in the United Kingdom. Remaining in the United Kingdom for the duration of the war, Bruun led units training personnel and officers for the exiled Royal Norwegian Navy.

Returning to Norway at the end of the Second World War, Bruun worked in the administration of the post-war Royal Norwegian Navy. He concluded his career as a rear admiral (acting) in command of the northernmost Norwegian naval command. During the eight years he held his last command, he played an important role in the establishment of the naval component of the Norwegian Home Guard.